Automobile lock



Nov. 30, 1937. A c, MABEE 2,100,718

AUTOMOBILE LOCK Original Filed July 29, 1956 I I ll k 15.

Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILE LOCKOriginal application July 29, 1936, Serial No.

Divided and this application December 30, 1936, Serial N0. 118,200

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a lock structure adapted particularly for useon automotive vehicles for locking operation controls, such as, forexample, the steering and the ignition. The invention concernsparticularly a two-stage or sequential operation type of lock, with thefirst stage operation eifecting unlocking or release of the steering andestablishing operating conditions for an ignition controlling switch,and with the second stage operation effecting opening or closing of theignition controlling switch.

This application is filed as a division of my copending application,Serial No. 93,156, filed July 29, 1936, to cover structure disclosed butnot specifically claimed in the copending application.

An important object of the invention is to provide an arrangementcomprising a locking element shiftable axially to looking or unlockingposition by a key controlled means, and a rotatable switch controllingelement, usually comprising a lever, with interconnecting means adapted,when the locking bolt is in its unlocking position, to establish suchoperative connection between the switch control element and the switchthat, upon rotation of the control element, the switch may be operatedfor opening and closing the ignition circuit, and said interconnectingmeans being adapted, when the lock bolt is in looking position, todisconnect the switch controlling element from such operative connectionwith the switch so that the switch controlling element is then free forrotational movement, but Without any operation of the switch to aifectthe circuit. In other words, when the locking bolt is in unlockingposition, the rotational movement of the switch controlling element willbe effective to operate the switch for circuit control, but when thelock bolt is in looking position, the switch controlling element isfreely rotatable, but its rotation will have no effect, either to openor to close the ignition circuit.

A further object of the invention is to provide structure in which themovable element of a switch is connected with both the locking bolt andthe rotatable switch controlling element, but with the arrangement suchthat when the locking bolt is in locln'ng position, the movable switchelement will be held dissociated from the switch 50 contacts so that,although the rotational movement of the switch controlling element willmove the movable switch element, there can be no circuit control, andwhen the lock bolt structure is in its unlocking position the movableswitch element will have been moved thereby for association with theswitch contacts and opening or closing of the circuit when the switchcontrolling element is rotated, the switch being thus ineffectivelyoperable when the locking bolt is in looking position, and effectivelyoperable only when the bolt is in unlocking position.

My invention is shown incorporated in the structure disclosed on thedrawing, in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the lock structure applied to a steeringcolumn which is shown in transverse section;

Figure 2 is a section on plane 11-11 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on plane III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the movable switchelement in another position.

The lock structure shown comprises a generally cylindrical body l havinga cylindrical opening 2 therethrough at its left end for receiving thetube 3 which surrounds the steering shaft 4 of an automobile, the bodybeing slit as indicated at 5 so that the material around the opening 2may securely clamp the tube 3 by tightening of a screw 6.

The body I has the cylindrical bore I registering at its open end with apassage 8 in the tube 3, the outer end of the bore being open. Slidablein the bore 7 is a lock bolt structure comprising the barrel Ill and thelocking plunger I l, a spring I2 within the barrel urging the plungeroutwardly, such outward movement being limited as by means of a pin l3in the barrel It engaging in a channel M in the plunger.

The steering shaft has a bushing l5 secured thereto provided with a holel6, and when this hole is in axial alignment with the bore 7, and thelock bolt structure shifts outwardly, the plunger l I will enter thehole to lock the steering shaft against rotation by the steering wheel.The shifting of the lock bolt structure is controlled by the turning ofa key in the keyhole ll of a tumbler lock cylinder l8 within the lockbarrel 19 secured in the bore 20 in the boss 2! extending from the bodyI, the lock cylinder at its inner end carrying a cam 22 engaging in thenotch 23 in the lock bolt barrel Ell, so that when the key is turned thelock bolt structure may be shifted into steering locking or unlockingposition.

The switch controlling element comprises a cylindrical hub 24 extendinginto the outer end of the bore 7, and at its outer end has an arm orlever 25 by which it may be rotated. A pin 26 anchored in the body 1projects into the circumferentially extending channel 27 in the hub 24and holds the controlling element against axial movement in the bore 1.

The switch mechanism is contained within a sheet metal housing 28 whichengages with its base against the under or rear side of the body I andhas a cover 29 of insulating material supporting circuit terminals 30and 3|. Within the switch housing is the movable switch elementcomprising the oblong block 32 of insulating material, the inner side ofwhich engages the bottom of the casing 28, and which on its outer sidecarries a switch blade 33 parallel therewith and anchored theretointermediate its ends. The ends 34 and 35 of the switch blade areadapted for cooperation with the circuit terminals 30 and 3| supportedby the cover 29 for the switch casing, but such cooperation iscontrolled by the position of the lock bolt structure. The lock boltstructure has the pin 38 extending radially therefrom through alongitudinal slot 38 in the body I, the pin extending through a slot 40in the bottom of the casing 29 and into the hole 4| in the inner side ofthe switch block, this hole being opposite the end 34 of the switchblade, the pin thus coupling the switch block to the lock bolt body 10and forming also a pivot for swinging or rotational movement of theswitch block in the switch housing. The pin also serves to hold the lockstructure body against rotational movement in the bore I.

In the inner side of the switch block at the free end thereof is alongitudinally extending channel 42 which receives the end of a pin 43extending radially from the switch actuating element hub 24 through theslot 44 in the body 4 and the slot 49 in the bottom. of the switchcasing. When the switch controlling element is rotated, the pin 43 willcause rotational or swinging movement of the switch block 32 on thepivot pin 38, but the effective operation of the switch will depend uponthe position of the locking bolt structure. When the lock bolt structureis in its steering locking position, as shown in Figure 2, the switchblock will be held in its inner position, with the pivot end of itsswitch blade in longitudinal alignment with, but out of contact with,the terminal 39. The terminal 3| is to one side of the longitudinal pathof travel of the switch block and away from the switch blade, so thatneither terminal is engaged by the switch blade when the lock boltstructure is in looking position. Now, when the switch controllingelement '24 is oscillated, the switch block will be correspondinglyoscillated, but there will be no engagement of the switch blade with thecircuit terminals, and the circuit, such as the ignition circuit, cannotbe controlled. However, when the lock bolt structure shifts outwardly tounlocking position, the switch block is shifted longitudinally therewithto bring the pivot end 34 of the switch blade into contact with theterminal 30, and to bring the other end 35 of the blade at one side ofthe terminal 3|, as shown by the full lines in Figure 4. The circuitwill still be open, but when the controlling element 24 is rotated inclockwise direction, the switch block will swing to carry capable ofeffecting any circuit control. However, when the lock bolt structure ismoved to unlocking position, the switch movable member is so locatedthat rotation of the controlling element will cause actuation thereoffor effective circuit control, and the circuit may be opened or closedas desired, so long as the lock bolt structure remains in unlockingposition.

It will be noted that the lock structure shown and described may beselectively used and operated as a two-stage lock, or merely as acoincidental look. If operated as a twostage or sequential lock, and itis desired to lock the steering and the ignition, the controllingelement 24 is first rotated to bring the switch back to circuit openingposition, and then the key is turned to shift the lock bolt structureinto steering looking position and to return the switch block fordisconnection of its switch blade from the terminal contacts, and tounlock, the key is first turned to shift the locking bolt structure tounlocking position and move the switch blade to its effective field ofoperation with the circuit open, and then the switch actuating element24 is rotated to move the switch blade for closure of the ignitioncircult.

When the driver of an automobile desires to use the lock only as acoincidental lock, he will leave the controlling element 24 in switchclosing position when he desires to stop the engine and lock thesteering, and he merely turns the key to shift the lock bolt to steeringlocking position and to coincidentally open the ignition circuit by thewithdrawal of the switch blade from the switch terminal contacts, andwhen the automobile is again to be used he merely turns the key forshift of the lock bolt structure to unlocking position with theresulting coincidental closure of the ignition circuit as the switchblade is shifted back to the circuit closing position from which it wasshifted when the lock bolt structure was moved to locking position.

Whether the lock be used as a two-stage lock or as a purely coincidentallock, the switch controlling or actuating element 2% will be freelyrotatable without any effective switch actuation thereby when the lockbolt structure is in steering locking position, and the ignition is thuslocked.

I have shown a practical and efficient embodiment of the variousfeatures of my invention, but I do not desire to be limited to the exactconstruction, arrangement and operation as shown and described, aschanges and modifications are possible which would still come within thescope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In lock structure of the class described, a locking bolt, a switchcomprising movable structure and stationary structure, a switchactuating element freely movable at all times in a fixed path, aconnection between said actuating element and the movable switchstructure, and means effective upon movement of said locking bolt tolocking position for moving said movable switch structure to a positionwhere actuation thereof by said actuating element cannot effect circuitcontrolling cooperation of the switch structure, said means beingeffective upon movement of the locking bolt to unlocking position tomove the movable switch member to a position where actuation thereof bysaid actuating element will permit cooperation of the switch structuresfor circuit control.

2. In a lock structure of the class described, a locking bolt, a switchcomprising a movable switch blade element and switch control contacts, aswitch actuating member connected with said switch blade element, andmeans whereby movement of said locking bolt to unlocking position willset said switch blade element relative to the switch contacts formovement of the switch element by said actuating member for engagementwith said contacts for effective circuit control, and movement of saidlocking bolt to locking position will set said switch blade element toprevent movement thereof by said actuating member for effective circuitcontrol.

3. In a lock structure of the class described, a locking bolt, a switchcomprising a. movable switch blade element and stationary switchcontacts, a switch actuating member having connection with said switchblade element for lateral movement thereof relative to said contacts,and means whereby movement of said locking bolt to locking position willshift said switch blade element longitudinally to an ineffectiveposition where actuation of said element by said actuating member cannoteifect cooperation of said switch blade element with said contacts forcircuit control, and movement of said locking bolt to unlocking positionwill set said switch blade element into position where said actuatingmember may move said switch blade element into association with contactsfor effective circuit control.

4. In a lock structure of the class described, a locking bolt, a switchcomprising a switch blade element and switch contacts, said switch bladeelement being adapted for bodily longitudinal movement and for lateralmovement, an actuating member controlling the lateral movement of saidswitch blade element, said locking bolt structure controlling thelongitudinal movement of said switch blade element, the arrangementbeing such that when said locking bolt is moved to unlocking position,said switch blade element will be set into position for lateral movementthereof by said actuating member and cooperation thereof with saidcontacts for circuit control, and when said locking bolt is moved tolocking position, said switch blade element will be removed from saidcontacts so that movement thereof by said actuating member cannot effectcooperation thereof with said contacts.

5. In a lock structure of the class described, a locking bolt, anelectrical switch, an actuating member for said switch movable in afixed path for actuating said switch for circuit control when saidlocking bolt is in unlocking position, and means controlled uponmovement of said looking bolt to locking position for displacing one ofthe switch elements whereby to render the actuation of said switch bysaid actuating member incapable of eifecting circuit control.

6. In a lock structure of the class described, a

locking bolt, a switch comprising a movable element and a stationaryelement, an actuating member freely movable in a fixed path and havingpermanent connection with the movable switch element, and means wherebymovement of said locking bolt to locking position will shift the movableswitch element relative to the stationary element "so that actuation ofthe movable element by said actuating member cannot effect cooperationof the switch elements for circuit control, and movement of said lockingbolt to unlocking position will shift the movable switch element foractuation by said actuating member for cooperation thereof with thestationary element for circuit control.

7. In a lock structure of the class described, a circuit controllingswitch, an actuating member for said switch and a locking bolt coaxialtherewith, said locking bolt being non-rotatable but being shiftableaxially to looking or unlocking position, said actuating member beingheld against axial shift but being freely rotatable during eitherposition of said locking bolt, a connection whereby said actuatingmember may actuate said switch during either position of said lockingbolt, and a connection between said looking bolt and switch effectiveupon movement of the bolt to locking position to render said actuatingmember connection inefiective to actuate the switch for circuit controlbut adapted upon movement of the locking bolt to unlocking position torender the actuating member connection effective for actuation of theswitch for circuit control.

8. In a lock structure of the class described, an electrical circuitswitch comprising movable and stationary elements, a locking bolt and aswitch actuating member co-axial therewith, said looking bolt beingadapted for axial shift to looking or unlocking position, said actuatingmember being held against axial shift but being freely rotatable duringeither position of said locking bolt and independently thereof, meanswhereby movement of said locking bolt to locking position willdissociate the switch elements whereby actuation of the switch by theactuating member will be ineffective for any circuit control andmovement of said locking bolt to unlocking position will associate theswitch elements for actuation thereby of said actuating member to openor close the circuit, said locking bolt being movable to lookingposition whether said actuating member is in circuit opening or circuitclosing position whereby movement of said locking bolt back to unlockingposition will coincidentally re-establish the circuit conditioncorresponding to the position in which the actuating member was leftwhen the bolt was moved to locking position.

- ALEXANDER C. MABEE.

